Serene temples offer welcome respite from city life

Fully booked

Zheng Huan, a volunteer who has helped with publicity work at Nuonata Temple for three years, said, "Our program is fully booked all the time, and about 80 percent of the participants are in their twenties or thirties."

The temple began offering Zen practice to the public in 2001, Zheng said, adding, "It was very popular, and we received hundreds of applications each time, but had to choose them carefully due to the limited capacity at the temple."

As a young Zen practitioner, Zheng said she thinks that people her age discover that temples are not as mysterious as they imagined, thanks to the rising number of online short videos showcasing the tranquility and simple life offered at these locations.

"They discover that temples are quite approachable and offer a type of serenity they can get close to," she said.

Shu Boyang, professor at the School of Business Administration at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, said the enthusiasm for temples reflects the desire among some young people to pursue inner peace, rather than external excitement. This enthusiasm perhaps also shows that society, especially its younger members, is paying more attention to spiritual values, Shu added.